I hope you felt a glimpse into your child’s learning through the portfolio work they shared with you on Monday. In the next few days you’ll receive an end of the year progress report from me via snail mail as well....

...There are still a few stray items of clothing and projects left here in the room. I will be at school through Friday if you wish to stop by and pick something up.

This Friday is our Barton Lake Day. I understand the specialists (the organizers of this day) could still use some parent volunteers. Please contact Sue B. directly if you are able to help out. Another way to help – after seeing the weather report this morning a sun dance may be needed. No need to show up for this – you can do it at home.

The Middles and the Uppers traditionally go to Valley Fair on the last day of school – as soon as Ali gives us the permission slip for this I will send it home.

Friday is Middles Team Bike day. (If the weather report makes Friday look rainy, but Thursday looks better, we will switch the day.) The pink permission slip went home yesterday. Please be sure they know how their bike is getting to school, know it's in good working order for the ride, and have a helmet to wear on that day. IF your child needs to borrow a bike for the day PLEASE make sure I know this by Wed. to help make it happen. We'd love to have you along for the ride, it's a very pleasurable ride along the parkway in our beautiful city.

Please save next Tuesday, 5/18, for a Family 204 Contemporary Art Events night here at Barton. 6:00-7:30ish. There will be sharing of the work your children have done to date on this year-long study and also several participatory activities for you to enjoy together.

Tonight's full moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. This being the first full moon of 2010, it is also known as the wolf moon, a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights.

If you have not yet siged up for a goal-setting review conference time please contact me. I have 4:30 and 5:00 open this coming Tuesday the 26th. Then I am filled up on after school opportunities until the first week of Feb.

We finished "The $66 Summer" and had a fabulous visit with the author John Armistead. He was very impressed with the depth and breadth of the Barton Middles kids conversation and questions with him. Please talk to your child about the theme of the book, what they felt they learned from the book, and the author visit.

Conferences: Friday 1/22 is the one day we have the remainder of the year set-aside for Goal Setting conference review. I have attached a schedule. Please fill out and return as you are able. I will offer after school times throughout Feb. in order to fit everyone's needs.

I promise to be brief - just a few reminders for you. It was a fun day, with even a little MN history actually worked on. Ask what some of the big ideas they have learned about MN are so far. After break we carry on with learning about the Dakota Culture in MN. We also thoroughly enjoyed making graham cracker "gingerbread" houses with our little buddies in 102.